No. 39 Bulldogs hand Cougars home loss

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PROVO, Utah – Despite strong singles play from juniors Mayci Jones and Savannah Ware, BYU women’s tennis fell 4-3 to No. 39 Fresno State on Friday.

“I thought the girls fought really hard today,” BYU head coach Lauren Jones-Spencer said. ”Winning three singles points but still losing the match shows how important it is to win the doubles point. We didn't play as well in doubles as we could have, but in singles Mayci played awesome, Savannah played great, and Nicolette (Poulsen) did well again. Those three are starting to play consistently in singles for us.”

The Cougars (4-12, 2-2 West Coast Conference) fought hard in doubles but couldn’t quite come up with the point. Playing at No. 3 doubles, junior Natella Nabieva and freshman Sarah Clifford defeated the Bulldogs’ (13-8) Sofya Malysheva and Olivia Noble. Ware and senior Nicolette Poulsen fell at No. 2 doubles, 6-0, and the point came down to the No.1 doubles matchup, with Fresno State’s Mayar Sherif Ahmed and Rana Sherif Ahmed winning 6-4 over BYU’s Jones and Taylah Beckman.

Starting off singles play, Ware tied the score at one for the Cougars with a decisive 6-1, 6-2 win over Fresno State’s Ran Sherif Ahmed at the No. 4 spot. Poulsen, playing No. 2 for BYU, gave the Cougars the lead with a 6-1, 7-6 (7-0) victory over Sophie Watts.

On court No. 1, Jones outlasted Mayar Sherif Ahmed, ranked No. 36 in singles, to win 6-3, 0-6, 6-3, giving the Cougars a 3-1 advantage. At third singles, Fresno State’s Galina Bykova defeated Nabieva, 4-6, 6-3, 1-6, to keep the Bulldogs in the match.

The Bulldogs clinched the match 4-3 with victories at the No. 5 and 6 slots.

BYU will host Santa Clara next Friday, April 8, at noon MDT. Admission is free to the public and free pizza will be provided.

#39 Fresno State 4, BYU 3

Singles competition

1. Mayci Jones (BYU) def. Mayar Sherif Ahmed (FRESNO) 6-3, 0-6, 6-3

2. Nicolette Poulsen (BYU) def. Sophie Watts (FRESNO) 6-1, 7-6 (7-0)

3. Galina Bykova (FRESNO) def. Natella Nabieva (BYU) 6-4, 3-6, 6-1

4. Savannah Ware (BYU) def. Rana Sherif Ahmed (FRESNO) 6-1, 6-2

5. Sofya Malysheva (FRESNO) def. Taylah Beckman (BYU) 7-5, 2-6, 6-0

6. Anneka Watts (FRESNO) def. Sarah Clifford (BYU) 7-5, 6-2

Doubles competition

1. Mayar Sherif Ahmed/Rana Sherif Ahmed (FRESNO) def. Mayci Jones/Taylah Beckman (BYU) 6-4

2. Anneka Watts/Sophie Watts (FRESNO) def. Nicolette Poulsen/Savannah Ware (BYU) 6-0

3. Natella Nabieva/Sarah Clifford (BYU) def. Sofya Malysheva/Olivia Noble (FRESNO) 6-2

Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (4,2,1,3,6,5)